Eternal Darkness
by mycherrywolf
Summary: A girl desperately trying to escape the war, her mother and brother killed by her own father. A coldhearted boy saves her. Together, can they save the country of Clow from plunging into eternal darkness? SxS PG13 for violence. going through major edit
1. Prologue

**_Eternal darkness_**

**_Genre: Romance/Action/Adventure_**

**_Rating: PG-13_**

**_Author: mycherrywolf_**

**Prologue**

They were coming for her, she had to hurry. Down the alleys, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Her legs throbbed from pain but she had to ignore it. There were more important things than that. She heard screams throughout the night. Screams of the unfortunate. She covered her ears, blocking out the screams piercing the once still night. She was tired, her body aching from all the running and beating but she had to hurry, she would be next. 

Footsteps pounded hard against the pavement. She could hear them quickly following. She didn't have much time before they found her. They were fast approaching. She had to hide. She turned the corner looking for escape. A dead end! She scanned the area looking for a way out. She turned around in horror. They had found her! 

She slowly backed up; her emerald eyes wide open in fear. She was scared, frightened, terrified, horrified of them. She felt the wall against her back, she couldn't run anymore! She groped against the wall, searching for something to use as defense. She felt a loose brick protruding out of the wall. She flung it out at them. No such luck was with her, it barely scraped their shoulders.

Her head pounded painfully. She heard voices, taunting her. Teasing her as their shadows took over what was left of the light. She heard laughter, bitter and cruel. She shut her eyes tightly in dismay. There was no escape. 

She felt them advance even closer. Silent tears crept out of her shut eyes. Tears of pure terror. She heard a sword being unsheathed and laughter piercing the night once more. They had won. She wrapped her blood stained arms around her. She braced herself in dread. This was her end.

A minute passed... two minutes passed. She waited for the sword to go through her but it never came. She began to think horrible things. What if they decided to play with her first? She suddenly felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her and she found herself being lifted off the ground. She heard angry yells as she felt herself being lifted higher into the air. 

Someone was holding her tightly. She buried her head into whatever was holding her. She was scared a few moments ago but she felt safe now. The wind passed through the fresh cuts she had acquired. She let a little yelp escape her cracked lips as she felt her wounds reopen.

She heard her savior say something but she couldn't distinguish what he said. She felt her consciousness slowly slipping away from her. She stubbornly fought back the urge to sleep. She felt them retouch the ground. She felt herself being placed into something very soft. A bed perhaps? She smelled the scent of sandalwood on a pillow. Yes, she was on a bed.

Someone placed sheets over her, carefully tucking her in. She opened her eyes, much against the will of her mind. She saw two intense amber eyes staring back at her with concern before unconsciousness took over. For the first time in a long time, she closed her eyes to a comfortable and dreamless slumber.

**_To be Continued..._**

****


	2. The Girl

**Chapter One: The Girl**

Sunlight poured through the open window signaling daylight. Li Syaoran slowly opened his eyes. Yawning, he stood up from the chair he had been sleeping in. He did a double take, what was he doing sleeping in a chair? Suddenly the past night's events came flooding back to him. His eyes flit towards the bed. The girl he had saved last night was still asleep. He walked towards the bed silently, carefully watching the girl. When he reached her bedside, he quietly knelt down and moved her honey brown hair away from her neck. He saw a small light turquoise crystal on a black cord around her neck, its glow barely visible. He smiled a little. Good, she was still alive.

With one last look, he made his way out the door. He walked through many a corridor, stopping every now and then to greet others. He then reached the dining room. His face fell when he saw only two people in the room namely his mother, Li Yelan and his cousin.

Li Yelan was a mother in her late forties. With long jet black hair tied into a pony tail, her cold yet motherly amber eyes and the way she held herself, she was a woman of great beauty and grace yet feared by many. Yelan observed Syaoran critically as he entered her lips in a thin line.

His cousin on the other hand, had not noticed him enter. Li Riyo, a young girl of only nineteen years of age was a greatly respected female in his clan even if she was known to space off in more than one occasion. She was a great prophesier of the clan and the credits men gave her in her studies of magic and martial arts did no justice. She was the only female so far to have successfully made him fall on his behind with a little scar to remember it too. That was saying something for he was the future leader of the Li clan. She had glossy and elegant jet black hair with tints of brown in them that fell up to a few inches below her waist and she had bright burning hazel eyes making her very pretty.

"Xiao-Lang." his mother said. Syaoran groaned internally. His mother was calling him by his Chinese name and that didn't mean that anything good was going to happen.

Riyo's head snapped up at the mention of his name. "Syaoran!" she said, jumping into a hug. Her voice was a soft soprano but it held happiness and joy in it. "Good Morning!"

"Riyo," He said, acknowledging her with a curt nod of his head. "Did you sleep well?"

"Of course not, I had to wake up early because Aunt Yelan wanted me to help in the kitchen. How is the girl?" she asked, having released him from her embrace. Syaoran had told them about the girl he saved the previous night when he brought her there.

"She's still asleep but her crystal is glowing, she's alive." He said, thinking of the crystal around her neck. Every citizen of the Clow country had to wear a light turquoise crystal around their necks. It was their protection, their magic and their life force. It was powered by the owner's will. - the more determination you had, the stronger your crystal became.

"That's good to know." She said sighing in relief. "I thought she was going to die last night. Good thing you saved her."

"Yeah, good thing." He echoed nonchalantly.

"Are you hungry?"

"Is there food?" He said, surprised. Food. Something he hadn't had in a while. Rations were hard to come by in times like these.

"Yes, I'll get some right away." She said, tying on a pale blue apron. "Should I get some food for her too?"

"Yes please," he replied. "With some things to heal her cuts and bruises with too."

"I'll make some medicines as soon as I get her food." Riyo hurried to the stove.

"Xiao-lang." Yelan impatiently tapped her fingers on the wooden table. She did not like being ignored.

Looking around, the lack of clan members suddenly occurred to Syaoran. "Where are the others?"

"They still haven't returned from that mission the elders sent them on. They should be back in a fortnight." Riyo said from the kitchen.

"Xiao-Lang." his mother said yet again, her patience growing even thinner. Syaoran reluctantly looked back. He wasn't so stupid to purposefully ignore his mother after having been called thrice.

"Yes mother?" He answered stiffly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up at the cold, scrutinizing look his mother gave him.

"Were you able to convince her to return?"

Syaoran sighed. _Mothers._ "No mother, she does not want to come back. Until the Emperor is dethroned, she refuses to return."

"I told you that you were to bring her back."

"But Fuutie doesn't _want_ to come back!" He explained, exasperated at how Yelan seemed to ignore the wishes of her daughter. He had already accepted that his sister might die in such line of duty, but his _mother,_ whose sense of honor he thought _surpassed_ his own? She would rather safety and security over the possibility of a brighter future. Or so it seemed to him. "Look, Mother, she'd rather die in the line of duty than die as a victim of their incessant murder."

Yelan stood, her amber eyes depicting hard and cold. "I am highly disappointed in you, Xiao-Lang. You are her brother, you should know what is good for her. I sent you because I trusted you to get her back safely. She is not safe in the palace."

"There isn't a place in the country that is safe from him! And besides," he said, his volume dropping. He looked away from his mother, just so as to avoid eye contact. Yelan watched him, refusing to avert the disappointment radiating from her hard gaze. "There is nothing in this world than can hinder a firm resolve. Once she has made up her mind, there is no changing it. You _know_ how she is."

"Syaoran," Riyo said, cutting in the conversation. "Here's your food and the girl's." she said handing him two small bentos. "And these are the medicines." She showed him a few tubes, cloths and bottles. "They're ointments and syrups I found in the cupboard, they should help. I'll go with you so that we can work faster." Riyo slightly pushed him in the direction of his room. Syaoran looked hesitantly at Yelan.

"Go son, she needs healing. I can sense that her crystal is losing its glow." She said, putting aside the quarrel. They would resolve this later.

"Thank you mother." He said bowing slightly. "Riyo." he said, beckoning for the girl to come with him. "The sooner her wounds get better, the sooner she can get out of here." They quickly exited the dining room. Once they were out of earshot, they began talking.

"That was a close one." Riyo said quietly. "I didn't know Aunt Yelan was so high strung about Fuutie's decision."

Syaoran was silent, still brooding over the little argument he just had. He hated how he always seemed to get berated for his sister's actions, even if he wasn't the eldest.

"Fuutie really doesn't want to come back huh?"

"No." He admitted. "She's convinced herself that she has stay there."

"I hope she'll be alright." She said her hazel eyes downcast. They reached his bedroom in silence, experience telling Riyo that it would go against her better judgment to talk. Syaoran quietly opened the door. Peeking inside, he saw that the girl was still sleeping soundly in his bed. He drew up two chairs beside the bed.

"Thanks."

He nodded in reply, sitting down in the other chair and choosing to eat his bento in silence once more. Riyo sat down in the other one and got the ointment.

She carefully took the sheets off the girl. She slowly lifted the hem of her skirt. "No peeking Syaoran."

"Like I'd want to!"

"Sure, whatever you say." Riyo stuck her tongue out at him.

Riyo observed the girl's legs. They were covered in many cuts, and bruises which had turned black and blue. She also had some scars on her foot and she saw that the girl's ankle was swelling up. Riyo frowned. She didn't like it when people got hurt like this. This girl however, was very lucky. The cuts weren't too deep but her ankle was something else.

Riyo squeezed some ointment onto her hands. She started spreading some over her ankle. When she was satisfied with the amount of ointment on it, she got another tube. She spread some of the clear gel on her cuts and scars. She closed it and got another tube. She then covered her bruises in it.

She wrapped the bandage firmly around the girl's swollen ankle. Riyo was glad that she brought some bandage with her, she'd then still have to go back to the kitchen. She looked fleetingly at Syaoran. He was still eating his bento, ignoring her, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. _Must've been one hell of a fight, then. _ Riyo discreetly slipped the crystal off her own neck and held it in her hand. She muttered a spell under her breath and touched the girl's ankle with the tip of the crystal. The bandage glowed a pale blue color as the crystal touched it. The girl immediately sat up, her eyes wide open. Syaoran dropped his bento. Good thing his bento was already finished.

The girl scanned the surroundings around, her vision unclear. Fear and confusion reflected in her emerald eyes. She didn't recognize anything. Everything was unfamiliar. It was all a blur to her. Scenes flashed before her mind's eye and everything came flooding back to her. She looked to her side where she saw two people. One jet black haired girl and one chestnut haired boy. The girl had warm and kind hazel eyes. She immediately decided that she liked this girl. The boy however had cold and intense amber eyes which sent shivers up her spine. She opened her dry cracked lips to speak, her voice hoarse from screaming the previous night.

"Where am I?"


	3. The Fugitive

The girl opened her eyes with a start. She opened her dry cracked lips to speak, her voice hoarse from screaming the previous night.

"Where am I?"

Instead of answering her, Riyo just tapped the girl's ankle with her crystal. A turquoise light emanated from the crystal, healing the girl's wound. The girl felt a slight tingle in her ankle as she felt the crystal heal her ankle. Suddenly Riyo felt dizzy, her head spun painfully. She collapsed off the chair she was on and sank to her knees. Syaoran was there instantly supporting her. The girl looked at Riyo concerned.

"Are you alright Miss?"

"Idiot!" The young boy chastised her as he helped her regain composure. Riyo placed a hand over her chest.

"I had to Syaoran; her ankle might have been infected. It was already swollen badly enough." She said, giving him a lopsided grin.

"But the ointments would've cured it. _I_ could have done it, not you. You're too weak to perform healings."

"Weak?" Riyo laughed hoarsely. "I obviously have not kicked your butt hard enough to burn in it your mind that I am anything but weak."

"Big talk." He said, smirking slightly. His cousin – she would be alright.

"You wanna bet?" She tried to stand up but she ended up falling back on the chair.

Syaoran flicked her nose lightly, making her stay put. She could never argue with him when he got into 'big brother' mode. Riyo smiled weakly at him. '**_That's good old Li Syaoran for you.' _** She then saw that the girl was awake. Riyo smiled at her warmly.

"Good morning there sleepy head!" Riyo said with a bright smile on her face. The girl smiled back at her, eyes still droopy from sleep.

"Good morning Miss."

"What's your name?" she asked, desperately attempting to draw out some brightness or enthusiasm from the stranger.

"...Ki-Kinomoto Sakura." She said quietly, blushing. Her name seemed so... long.

"Nice to meet you Sakura; I'm Li Riyo, please just call me Riyo." Riyo then nudged Syaoran in the chest. "You're being rude."

"Li Syaoran." He said stiffly. Riyo pouted.

"As cold as usual. Honestly, you should be nicer to people Syaoran." Sakura cocked her head thoughtfully. Recognition flashed in her face as she looked at Syaoran's eyes.

"You're the one who saved me from the guards..." She bowed her head modestly. "Thank you, Li."

"It was nothing."

"But-" Syaoran cut Sakura off.

"It was nothing." He repeated, a final note in his voice.

"Why were you being chased anyway?" Riyo asked, seriousness creeping into the tone of her voice. Sakura's face darkened visibly.

"It... was my turn last night. My father had turned me in two days ago – 7 months after..." She trailed off, unable to continue. Her voice was filled with remorse. Riyo touched her shoulder comfortingly, regretting that she had asked in the first place.

"I'm so sorry Sakura. I didn't..."

"No," she said shaking her head. "It's alright. It's not my father's fault either. He's being controlled by the emperor like all those other unfortunate people who had given in."

"I know what it's like." Riyo told her, a glazed look in her eyes. "My younger brother also gave in. He nearly got me killed." Suddenly noises came from outside the house. A piercing scream filled the air making Sakura shiver in fright. Syaoran turn in a different direction, shifting uncomfortably and Riyo looked at the window. Guards went past the house but they didn't enter.

"Yet another one has fallen to their claws." Riyo said sadly. "It's alright though, at least we were able to save one." She said, smiling lopsidedly at Sakura.

Sakura looked down at her hands quietly. She was a stranger to these Li's yet they were so nice. Suddenly a thought came to her mind.

"Both of you are Li's... Are you two married?" Riyo doubled over in laughter while Syaoran just looked away, yet again.

"Me? Married to this block of ice? No way! We're just second cousins dearie." Sakura blushed in embarrassment.

"Oops, I'm sorry." She said.

"I take offense in that comment." Syaoran muttered indignantly.

"Oh, but you are a block of ice!" Riyo prodded, poking fun at her cousin.

"Not that..." He muttered, looking up to meet her eyes, and looking away once more. "About the thought that I could ever possibly be engaged, let alone married to someone like you..."

"HEY." Riyo protested, shaking her fist childishly. "Guys find me attractive too!"

Fortunately for Syaoran, a knock at the door saved him from having to make up a retort to throw in the direction of his cousin.

"Come in." Riyo said lazily, shooting Syaoran a Look. A young girl in yellow Chinese robes came in, bowing politely to them.

"Feimei." Syaoran said suddenly. Sakura then realized she must be a sister of his. Feimei instantly turned to Syaoran.

"Syaoran, she's here now. Lady Tomoyo is here." Syaoran instantly stood up; his eyes darted to the door.

"Does she know that I am here?" he asked.

"Yes, she does Syaoran." Feimei replied, a mischievous smile on her face. Riyo smothered her giggles as she saw the expression on his face turn from a cold one to a panicked one. Sakura merely looked from one Li to another, clearly confused. A voice suddenly rang throughout the house.

"LIIIIIII SYAORAAAAAAAAAN!"

At that moment Syaoran paled significantly. He quickly darted into the nearest closet in the room. "Don't tell her that I'm here." He warned them before shutting himself in. Sakura became even more confused.

"Who is Lady Tomoyo?" Sakura asked timidly. Riyo looked at her with a sad smile.

"She's Syaoran's fiancée." Riyo said, rolling her eyes. "The prat doesn't appreciate her, really."

Syaoran opened the door of the closet again and looked at each of them with warning glance.

"Don't tell her I'm in here." And with that, he shut the door once more.

Suddenly a dark violet-haired girl burst into the room holding a small sketchpad in one hand and a pencil in the other. "Where is he?" she asked Riyo. "I know he's here!" Sakura was about to reply when Riyo placed her hand over her mouth.

"Hush, don't say a thing." She whispered. The newcomer turned her attention to Sakura, her amethyst eyes gleaming with interest. Sakura's eyes widened in fear. '**_Why is she looking at me like that?'_** The girl walked towards her and suddenly her eyes became like stars.

"KAWAII!"


	4. Everything Happens for a Reason

**Chapter Three: Everything Happens for a Reason**

Riyo started laughing whole – heartedly when she heard Tomoyo say her infamous line.

"Tomoyo, you haven't changed a bit. Why don't you let our guest rest first from her recent healing before you give her your full treatment? God knows she'll need all her energy with you in that mode." She said placing herself between Tomoyo and the extremely confused Sakura.

Tomoyo pouted stubbornly. "You _never_ let me have my fun Riyo! Last time, you hid Syaoran from me for an entire _hour_. An _hour_ for goodness gracious! He's my fiancé too! Have you any idea _how_ torturous it was to have all those wonderful costumes I made for him, sit in my luggage, _not_ being used?"

"I imagine it was hell on earth for you dearest Tomoyo." Riyo muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Sakura to hear.

"I'll _tell _you! It was _hell on earth_ for me!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

"Bingo!" Riyo muttered again, for Sakura's secret pleasure. Sakura giggled softly, not wanting to draw the attention to her. Well, of course that never happens in real life especially around _this_ Lady Tomoyo.

Tomoyo peeked behind Riyo, trying to get a good look at Sakura.

"Please let me dress her up, just for a little while!" she begged like a little girl.

"No." Riyo said, making a funny face at Tomoyo.

"But Riyo, she's so _kawaii_!" Tomoyo complained. "Besides, it's not like _you_ let me dress you up!"

"I do dress up – just when you're not around." Riyo said as she winked at Tomoyo.

"WHAAAAAAT!" Tomoyo exclaimed, nearly pouncing on Riyo. "You dress up and you don't let me sketch you! Oh, the inhumanity of it all!"

"I'm not..." Riyo paused, trying to search for the right word. "How would you say it? '_Kawaii'_? Where on earth do you get these words?" She said, waving it off. "Well, point being, I'm not... whatever that is ."

"Oh but you _are!_" Tomoyo assured her. "So... while we're waiting for Miss Sakura to complete her recuperation, how about a little game of dress up, Riyo?" Tomoyo suggested innocently.

"No." Riyo replied flatly.

"But Riyo!"

"No. I'm going to stay and watch over Sakura. She needs treatment and I'm the best. You know it yourself." She said, finally convincing Tomoyo.

Tomoyo nodded, understanding. Riyo was not only the best prophesier but she was also the greatest healer in the Clan and outside it, despite her own weak constitution. She herself had been taking lessons from Riyo lately in hopes of learning how to heal wounds just as effectively as she. She turned her attention back to Sakura, worry finally present in her bright amethyst eyes.

"What happened to her?" Tomoyo asked, in a somewhat restrained manner now that she had let out her hyper ness.

A cry pierced the air as Riyo was about to answer. Everyone's expression had sobered severely. Another one's life force had been taken.

Riyo suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her. She felt these attacks every time someone's life force had been strained out of them. The stronger the life force in the crystal that gets taken, the more of her life force would get weaker.

Meanwhile, Syaoran had stepped out of the closet when Tomoyo was not paying attention to him. Seeing the ever familiar nauseous feeling take over Riyo, he quickly moved to her side, giving Riyo someone to lean on.

"You're weak. Sit down." He said as a hint of concern flashed in his amber eyes.

"I'm fine, I have to tell Tomoyo about Sakura." She insisted.

"_Sit_." Syaoran pressed. "Sit down, you stubborn mule." He said, pushing her onto the chair next to Sakura's bed.

She willingly obliged, not feeling up to arguing with her cousin. This gave Tomoyo free access to sit on Sakura's bed, on the opposite side of where Riyo was seated. Syaoran satisfied himself by moving to the window and staring out into space. He knew the story already.

"She was one of the targets." Riyo explained, as soon as the nauseous ness passed. "She was nearly caught. In fact, I suppose that the soldiers would have even raped her before robbing her of her crystal, had Syaoran not come into the picture."

Tomoyo right hand instinctively flew to the turquoise crystal around her neck, dropping the items from her hand onto the bed. She knew what it was like, having nearly been a victim before. Being the Duke's daughter could only do so much.

Feimei winced a little. In all honesty, she was down right frightened. Yes, she was a Li. All Li's were supposed to be brave. Although she knew that she was scared to the tips of her long curly auburn locks, she knew as well that she wasn't alone in the Li Clan who felt that way. Every time she got near her cousin Riyo, she would sense fear emanating from her every time someone's life force would be robbed. And that happened a lot.

Feimei felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see her brother beside her.

"To your room Feimei." He said, indicating towards the door.

"But Syaoran, I want to-"

"Go. You're only twelve. This information is a little too heavy for you."

"Syaoran," Feimei argued. "I'm smarter than everyone my age and three years up. I've got one of the largest vocabularies in the Clan and I'm more mature than you were at your own age. _I'm staying_."

Much to her dismay, Syaoran picked her up, carrying her out the door. Feimei beat against his chest, trying to get out of his grip.

"Let go of me you mean bully!" She protested.

"Gladly." Syaoran replied, dropping her lightly on the ground right outside the door. With a soft thud, he shut the door behind her.

When Syaoran returned to the room, he felt curious eyes turn towards him.

"She didn't have to leave Syaoran." Riyo said, a disapproving look on her face.

"Yes, she did." He insisted. "Last night... Before I met _her_," He nodded towards Sakura's direction, "I saw _him_." Syaoran paused, looking at Riyo intently. It took a few seconds before realization finally dawned on her and Tomoyo, leaving Sakura painfully clueless. The latter looked away, wondering if she should be in this conversation at all.

"Syaoran, your-?" she said, only to be interrupted by him.

"Father." He said, looking out the window. Ever since that night, he had been thinking about him. About the bastard that left home when he was only three.

"He was leading the troops who were after her. That's when I saw him. It wasn't hard to pick him out." He clenched his fist tightly. "After all, how many sick bastards would do something as low as this?" He said bitterly, pain evident in his voice.

"But..." Tomoyo began, half afraid to ask Syaoran anything about his father. Never before, not in all their time together, had he mentioned him. "What does all of this have to do with Feimei? Why should Feimei worry about your father so much anyway? She's never even met him. For all she knows, he's been dead for the past twelve years."

Syaoran stared at Tomoyo a bit, trying to put what he knew into words, but he couldn't. Riyo saw this and tried to fill in the blanks.

"You're not around enough, Tomoyo. You don't see what she's like." she said. "I knew him longer than any of you. I saw him leave. Since I was already seven then, I can still remember him well. Feimei comes to me often since Fuutie isn't around much anymore, asking me what her father was like.

"She told me once," Riyo continued. "If she could have anything in the world, anything at all, it would be to have her father back. Of course, I didn't know that he was on _his_ side back at that time, so I comforted her, telling her what a wonderful uncle Xiao Hai was to me. How he told me and Fuutie bedtime stories about his travels before Syaoran and Fanren came into this world. How, when I was sick and my parents were at the social events, he'd take care of me until my mother and father came home to take care of me properly.

"Sometimes, she cries at night. She doesn't know but I can hear her cry in her sleep, always calling for the same person - _Daddy_." Riyo looked down cast once more. Everything nowadays had been remorseful. It was hard to truly be happy in this age of such violence. Sometimes she wished that they weren't bound by the power of the crystal. She wished that people like Feimei could have experienced happiness as Riyo did fourteen years before, before _he_ came into power.

"Oh, poor Feimei..." Tomoyo said as she placed a hand on her cheek. "It would be such a fright to her."

"Exactly," Syaoran said, striding to sit down at the edge of the bed. "She doesn't need to know."

"When did you find out?" Tomoyo said, gripping the hand of Sakura and draping the other one around her shoulder, giving her a quick hug. Tomoyo felt guilty that they were pulling a complete stranger into the thick of things. It would make things very uncomfortable for a person in her position, especially for someone who just found out that she had been attacked by her rescuer's own kin.

"A few years back." He said with his face emotionless. Riyo was astounded. She was about to start rebuking him for not telling her sooner when a voice cut in, much to her surprise.

"But Li, why didn't you tell anyone?" Sakura questioned, her head cocked innocently to one side. "I'm just a stranger here and I don't wish to pry, but from what I've heard, this is big news. Doesn't everyone else in your family deserve to know about your father?"

Syaoran was taken aback. No normal stranger would have asked such a question. It would imply insolence, rude ness and even, idiocy. He observed for for those few seconds, wondering why the hell he chose to save her last night. She was a _girl_. A girl with absolutely no special qualities. She wasn't particularly pretty and she was so thin that she'd look anorexic. There was nothing _remotely _remarkable about this peasant girl, and yet...

Last night, he was supposed to return home immediately, regardless of what may happen to anyone. But when he heard her cries for help, he couldn't just leave her be. When his mother had told him to let the girl sleep in his bed, he wanted to refuse. However, he felt the girl shiver in his arms and he couldn't say no. She would heal more effectively in better conditions, he thought. He couldn't bring himself to refuse anything related to the better welfare of Kinomoto.

Syaoran suddenly started getting upset. Once again, he found himself doubting that girl. Why is it that he had succumbed to this girl? This girl of no extraordinary trait, this girl who he hardly knew seemed to know exactly how to affect him. He hated being this weak, he hated the fact that he was being lenient with this _girl_. Why is it that he couldn't leave her to die? It was her destiny after all. Why did he save Kinomoto Sakura when he couldn't even bring his father back from the wrong side of the social rank? Why was he given the opportunity to save this stranger, when he couldn't even save his own...?

Syaoran choked back emotions. What was done is done and there is nothing he can do about it. She's gone forever. '**_But still...'_** a little voice inside his head insisted. '**_Is it really fair that you were there to save Kinomoto from danger when you couldn't even save...?'_**

He whirled around on Sakura, unusual emotions taking over. He was about to send her out of his room and cast her out on the streets when he saw those emerald orbs of hers. Something in them stopped him from exploding. Ashamed of what he was about to do, he looked away.

He really should stop getting into deep thought like this.

"Don't..." He stopped himself in mid-thought, deciding against continuing that statement. He sighed, obviously frustrated with all these contradicting thoughts in his head.

"_Why_?" he whispered to himself, barely loud enough for Sakura to hear. "Why is it that I was there just in time to get you away?"

Sakura could do nothing but smile sadly, feeling a little hurt that it seemed as if he didn't want to save her at all. "I'm not sorry that you were."

Suddenly, Feimei burst into the room, her auburn eyes wide in fear. "The troops have found us!"


End file.
